McCartney christens Alamodome

Ex-Beatle delivers goods at sellout extravaganza

Published 11:10 am, Wednesday, May 15, 2013

This article was originally published May 30, 1993.

Poignant, powerful, haunting and yet inspiring. It was a concert that had all these emotions and more.

For 2 hours, Paul McCartney, with a little help from his friends, sparked a musical roller coaster Saturday at the sold-out Alamodome that seemed both a lament for the bygone Beatles glory days and a joyous celebration of the group's infectious music.

But while there were moving moments in the exhausting show, it appeared more a like a recollection of good times with old friends.

The spectators were on their feet long before McCartney even stepped on stage.

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But midway through the video, the song turned into "Helter Skelter, " and the screens showed brutal images of animal testing. A bit strong, but then McCartney's tour has been aimed at helping various causes like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Like a professional boxer, McCartney "softened up" his opponent first before pumping into high gear. It worked.

McCartney kicked off his show on a hard-rocking pace, with "Drive My Car."

The house appeared starving, almost insatiable for whatever Beatles magic McCartney could whip out of his bag.

And there was plenty. First time live

It was immensely satisfying to hear songs like "Lady Madonna, " "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Let it Be, " many of which never had been heard live since they were written after the Beatles ended their touring days in 1966.

Incessant and ear-splitting screams by thousands of girls drowned out their music at live shows in the '60s.

But Saturday it was a different story. Despite standing ovations and rousing cheers, the million-watt speaker system delivered the goods.

Particularly affecting were the tunes McCartney included from an earlier, simpler day in the Beatles' huge catalogue. Catchy love tunes like "Michelle, " "We Can Work It Out" and "All My Loving." Beatles tunes

Cynics may be justified in saying McCartney's "New World Tour" should have been titled "Paul McCartney and the Beatles Revue." More than half of the material (23 of 32 songs) were Beatles-era gems, which makes one wonder if McCartney would be selling out stadiums if he relied solely on his own post-Beatles material.

But why dicker? If anyone is entitled to perform these songs, it's McCartney, who wrote all of them with the late John Lennon.

Although it seemed the audience members enjoyed the Beatles material a lot more, they did get off to McCartney's new material such as the Latin-tinged "Hope of Deliverance" and the anthemic "C'mon People, " which exhorted everyone to "welcome the future and let the fun begin." Towards the end, McCartney slowed the pace when he sat down at a piano to play "Let it Be."

By now of course, the entire house had lit up the Bics on several songs.

McCartney of course wasn't perfect. A few would say his voice cracked on a few tunes. He missed a few notes.